


In the heat of summer, we sweat our secrets

by EvanJosten



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Bonding at the beach, Gen, Multi, aftgsummerexchange, mixed with canon kind of, taken some events in consideration while writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 00:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15303003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanJosten/pseuds/EvanJosten
Summary: What should happen with the Minyard twins going to the beach with Nicky, and simply getting together, sharing candies and being there for one another. Pretty awesome, right?





	In the heat of summer, we sweat our secrets

**Author's Note:**

> This is my exchange gift for the ever so lovely Dani, one of the best people I know, and I was very honoured to write this. There isn't a lot of fics about the twins spending time together and I decided to be the one who changed that <3

While growing up, Andrew had become used to the weather in California, never too humid, always comfortable enough for him to dress in black without being incommoded. From the moment he learned he had a twin brother, things were willing to change, though he never expected to actually move in with his blood family, namely Aaron, then with Nicky Hemmick too, their cousin. The latter came back from Germany to fulfill the role of taking care of his cousins so they wouldn’t lack anything, despite what had happened in the past. At first, it had been overwhelming and the desire to protect the only family members that took him in without expecting anything in return was strong. Strong enough that Andrew had been brought into juvie.

However, the current story isn’t about anything happening under the west coastal sun. This story is about the newly created family taking advantage of a hot summer day to venture to the beach and let the sun caress their skin. At least, that was what Nicky had said it was, oblivious to how his cousins were more prone to get sunburns than him. Rich with money hardly earned from working at Eden’s Twilight, they packed their bags, got in the car and settled for the 3 hours ride that led them to Myrtle Beach.

The sun hit hard on the black car, absorbing a lot of the heat, transfusing it to the inside, where they sat, windows rolled down, sweaty after barely fifteen minutes of driving under the July sun. Andrew was tapping a rhythm against his thigh, barely focusing on the summer music that came out of the radio, Nicky’s suggestion. He leaned his head against his open palm, his arm half out the window, uncaring about his cousin’s hype and his brother’s excitement. He simply couldn’t bring himself to understand the hype of the beach, as they were all the same, and you always ended up with sand up in your trunks.

He managed to tune out both Aaron and Nicky for a while, gazing at the change of scenery. It wasn’t until Aaron pointed out he was hungry that Andrew realized he was as well. He turned to his cousin and ordered him to take the next exit. He needed to run his legs, smoke a cigarette and then, to pack up on candy for the rest of the trip. Even at 15, he was as much a sweet tooth as ever. It helped keep him focused and provided some energy to his system. Leaning against the car, he looked over at Nicky and Aaron who were inside, ordering food, as he took a drag of his cigarette.

When the duo came back, he sighed, stumped his stick under the sole of his shoe and went inside, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He mumbled a “be right back” as he walked past them.

* * *

Aaron was aware of part of his brother’s past, which had led him to be as he was now. Years of abuse still tainted most of his behavior, in a way similar to what himself had gone through. Aaron found himself excited to finally be able to do something fun, something where he didn’t have to do anything for either his mother, his brother or his cousin. Thinking about his mother still brought some conflict in his mind, being as he still wasn’t over her death and how he missed her.

He decided however not to let his bitterness ruin the mood of the coming vacations. It was one thing to hold his brother responsible, it was another to open up to Nicky and make his cousin even more concerned about what was going on, or what had happened and why the brothers struggled to even be in the same room. He believed that it would be a good idea to go the beach and maybe, maybe he hadn’t imagined the look in Andrew’s face when Nicky had announced they would spend time away from Columbia, this now godforsaken place.

Seeing his brother smoking, leaning against the car reminded him of how much he craved for one of the pills that were stored in his luggage, that he kept for the night, after they would venture to do what they set their mind to, so Andrew wouldn’t notice him stepping out of line yet again. He also didn’t want to come with a warning sign to just how much he still was under the control of his addiction to pain medicine. Aaron blinked, getting his eyes to adjust to the sudden influx of light as he’d stepped outside, sipping on his straw.

When Andrew walked past him, Aaron couldn’t help but let his gaze follow his brother, who went inside on his own. More often than not, although he never mentioned it, Aaron was afraid for his brother, that something would happen to him. It wasn’t surprising when Andrew came back with an almost overflowing bag of sugary goods, though it was almost certain that it was solely for him. However, when Andrew noticed Aaron’s gaze on him, he handed his twin an Otter Pop, that was already opened, thanks to the person at the counter that had had the kindness to help. The sudden act of kindness struck Aaron and resulted in Nicky pouting and whining about how he wanted one too. That broke the spell and made Andrew glare at his cousin, who, in response, raised his hands, open-palmed in surrender then climbed back inside the car, behind the wheel.

It was time for them to hit the road again, Aaron feeling a headache blooming inside his skull, and decided his freeze pop couldn’t do any bad to him. The sugar rush coming with the first sip felt heavenly and he decided maybe this trip wouldn’t be that bad. He went back to the backseat, attached himself and kept taking sips of his “Sir Isaac Lime”, slightly grateful that Andrew didn’t go for the irony and bought him the orange flavored one, as it was nicknamed “Little Orphan Orange."

* * *

Nicky appreciated the vibration of the Maserati beneath his feet, this car his cousin had bought, even if he didn’t know how it had been afforded, and he preferred it that way. He knew he wanted to know but he also respected what wasn’t shared with him. The older one still felt like he was stepping on thin ice, though it was now slightly thicker than the one he had been standing on while he still lived with his parents. Secrets existed for a reason, and when he finally earned his cousins’ respect, he knew he would be let in. He knew he also had to make sure he differentiated himself from his parents, due to the way the twins, especially Andrew, talked about Luther and Maria Hemmick.

The road panels were indicating how close they were getting to their destination. Nicky was too humble to tell the twins about how many weeks of salary he had saved in order to organize that trip. He knew it was a good occasion to let both Andrew and Aaron experience something that was nicer than usual and it was also a congratulations gift to how well they had done in school, passing all their classes, despite how hard life could end up being, or how hard it had been for them.

* * *

The sign for Myrtle Beach came a little before 3 hours since they’d left Columbia. Nicky let out a whoop of excitement, startling Aaron who had been dozing off in the back. Andrew glared at his cousin at the sound, finding it concerning how someone could be that cheerful and how it was obvious as to how much was hidden underneath that mask of happiness. Nicky shrugged under Andrew’s stare and kept both hands on the wheel, more and more eager to bring them to the destination. It wasn’t long until they could see the ocean.

The breeze coming from outside the car helped to cool them off a little, though the sun was still way up above their heads, as it was almost noon. Nicky ran a hand through the loose curls covering his forehead to get rid of the slight sheen of sweat covering it. He huffed a slight laugh and turned on the air con from the car, shutting the windows a little so they could keep a little of the coolness inside the vehicle. The saline air from the ocean was already seeping through the windows, leading Nicky to take a big breath intake, relishing in a memory of his youth, when he had gone with his mother to the beach while his father had been gone on a formative convention for their church. That kind of event happened more often than Nicky appreciated to recall. However, he was carefree now, able to enjoy little things in life. It was mostly due to Erik rather than to his parents.

As he caught sight of the parking lot attached to the inn they were to stay at, one that happened to be rather not expensive and had good amenities, he drove to a spot and left to get the keys while making sure the twins were in tow. They were following without talking much, keeping a fair distance from each other. The arrangement they reached for the room was how Nicky and Aaron would share a bed for the nights and Andrew would have his own. They had already tried having both twins in the same bed, it ended with a black eye and a couple bruises on Aaron’s arms. It was not an experience to be repeated.

* * *

Aaron looked up to the palm trees, marveling at how tall they were, finally understanding why South Carolina was dubbed the Palmetto state. As soon as they checked in their room, the short blond rummaged through his bag, finding what he wanted, and went to the bathroom to put on his swim trunks, mentally planning to head to the beach. He took advantage of the lock on the door for some privacy and took medicine to help his headache to fade, then one more pill “for luck and good measure” as he called it. Walking out of the bathroom, he looked at his family and inquired if they would join him, his hand clutching around the pill bottle in his pockets.

Nicky nodded excitedly, almost skipping to the bathroom to put on his swimsuit, taking barely two minutes before to come out. Aaron smiled slightly at him and turned to his twin. He arched an eyebrow at Andrew as he was still standing there, apparently with no intention to join. Surprising the other two, Andrew took his turn to put on his trunks and came out still wearing his t-shirt and arm-bands, though these ones appeared to be made of a lighter material, more suited for swimming activities.

The trio then left their residence and walked towards the car, in order to get closer to the sea. The ride down the road helped make Nicky get more excited, his enthusiasm helping Aaron become giddy himself, though he was also convinced it had something to do with the pills he had taken. He looked at the land stretching in front of him, the beach wide enough to be said to cover a few miles, and felt the want to stick his toes in the warm sand, wanting to feel the waves crash against his ankles.

As soon as the car was parked and the motor turned off, Aaron stepped out and started for the beach, noticing the crunch of shoes against sand, which told him he was followed by his family. He spent a little time seeking a spot where there wasn’t a lot of people and where they could set all their stuff without risking to come across a thief. Aaron removed his shoes and ran to the water. He felt free and not risking a lecture from his mother because he didn’t do exactly what she had wanted, thus risking being physically punished. Now, his main worry was only to catch a sunburn, and the odds were in the favor of that not happening due to the sunscreen he had applied earlier.

* * *

Andrew, following Aaron on the sand, went to their designed spot and sat, lighting another cigarette, closing his eyes, relishing at the moment. He rested his arms on his folded knees, unbothered by how much heat his black clothes absorbed from the sun. Andrew kept his eyes on the horizon, and then on his brother, making sure his twin would at least appreciate the vacation, and so far, it seemed as if it was the case.

The twin who still was clad in black took in a breath, the memories of what he’d done for Aaron replaying in his brain like a movie. He was raised from his reverie when he heard Nicky’s voice, preceding a slight nudge to make sure his attention was on his cousin. Andrew raised his head, then an eyebrow and nodded when Nicky sat next to him, thankful for the slight distance. Nicky had sat crisscross, leaning on his arms, stretched behind his back. A peaceful silence grew between them, something that was a rare occasion when you hung around Nicky.

Andrew took a long drag of his cigarette before to turn to his cousin and inquire about the reason why they were at the beach. Nicky seemed startled before to dare an answer. His words filled the quietness and felt like they fit with the melody of the ocean and birds flying overhead. He told Andrew about his desire to do something for the twins that was out of their ordinary, which could be the beginning of them having good memories rather than bad ones.

The shorter of the two took it in with a nod and felt the corner of his lips turn slightly upward. After a moment as short as it could be, it was gone. Andrew then offered a quiet “thank you” to Nicky, as he saw Aaron coming back to join them. Andrew realized he was grateful for the vacations they were getting and made himself a silent promise to share his sweets’ bundle with his brother and cousin later that night. It really was the least he could do now.

* * *

In the evening, when they were all reunited in the hotel room they’d picked, they decided (Andrew required) getting a meal brought up to them instead of going in a room full of strangers and eat under the scrutiny of people who had nothing better to do than ogle the trio and make them feel out of place. Nicky had agreed, taking into consideration running into one of the people his father worked with. It wasn’t too far from Columbia, after all, and he didn’t want to face the risk of explaining why he had stopped attending church.

That way, they sat on their respective beds, food already consumed, now circled by the food and sweets they’d acquired on their brief stop earlier. The twins both had redder skin from their exposition to the sun, and they ignored it, although they both felt the burn. Aaron took a quick unassured glance to the bag of sour peach candy his brother held against him. Andrew raised an eyebrow at him and then stretched his bag towards his twin, in an offering gesture. It was a strange thing to see the brothers share food, even weirder that it was Andrew initiating it, Nicky thought. 

Aaron didn’t wait to be offered candy twice to stretch his hand to the bag of sweets and diving in, grabbing a couple of the sweets. He ignored the pain in the back of his mind that came with the start of withdrawal and was thankful the sugar could offer him another quick rush, even if it wasn’t as strong as his usual choice. He offered a smile to his twin, only met with a blank face, devoid of many emotions, though he could acknowledge Andrew didn’t look at odds with him. Andrew almost looked serene, content with the possibility to be with his brother. 

Nicky nodded and decided it was his time to take off and offer the twins some privacy where they could talk since they seemed to remain silent whenever he was around, as though they didn’t want to show their weaknesses to Nicky. Both twins turned to look at their cousin leaving, maybe hitting the bar, on his way to look for boys to make out with. Aaron scoffed and rolled his eyes as the door was closed after Nicky.

* * *

 

“I guess we’re alone now.” He offered, shyly turning to Andrew. Aaron had both hands intertwined, stressfully fidgeting. It wasn’t often he was in the same room as his brother, and those times tended not to end well. However, he was more than willing to make an effort for things not to turn that way. There was no way for him to know if Andrew thought the same, but from what he’d seen, things looked that way, especially with the candy offering

Andrew huffed in answer, looking at his twin. “Well done, Sherlock.” His tone was without his usual snark, though the sarcasm still dripped through it. He stood up and went to lock the door. He didn’t want anyone to bother them, and he also knew Nicky had left with his key, and if he were to do something, it wouldn’t be in their room. Then, Andrew tilted his head to the side, still eyeing his twin, coming to a conclusion and an idea. Under the scrutiny, Aaron pushed himself further from his brother, mildly scared and confused.

At the reaction, Andrew sighed and shook his head, unsure of the reason that had prompted Aaron to move away from him. Tapping a finger against his chin, arms crossed, Andrew spoke up, voicing a question that had been on his mind for a while, having noticed something off with his brother. 

“Is there anything I should know?”

That question took Aaron off guard, so much he couldn’t rely on his usual standoffishness and push Andrew away. Aaron thought for a mere second and shared about his use of drugs, that helped him off the edge. Andrew frowned at that and turned to look at the door before to glance at Aaron again.

“We’re not dealing this here, but when we get home, we will.” Andrew offered before to sit on his bed, pull a book out and start reading it, a frown still etched on his features. He didn’t react when he heard Aaron sigh from the verbal bomb being defused, nor did he when he saw his twin get ready for sleep from the corner of his eye. 

There was a sense of peacefulness reigning in the room now, as they were somewhat closer than when they arrived. Both Aaron and Andrew were thankful to be there, and to be able to sort out difficult situations, though for very different reasons. Aaron felt sick at the idea of going off the drugs but he appreciated Andrew making an effort. Andrew knew he had to make sure his brother was safe and he would do anything for it to remain that way. 

It was only when they were both asleep that Nicky came back into their room and stopped fast in his tracks as he never had expected to see his cousins look that serene. He smiled softly then went to get ready for sleep himself.


End file.
